'masque' originates from Middle French and Italian sources, specifically the French word 'masque' and Italian 'maschera', ultimately tracing to Medieval Latin 'masca' where 'masca' meant 'mask' or 'specter'.

'masque' changed from Middle French 'masque' (and from Italian 'maschera') into Early Modern English forms used for both 'mask' and the staged entertainments; the spelling 'masque' became associated particularly with the courtly entertainments.

Initially it referred to a 'mask' or 'apparition' (from Medieval Latin 'masca'), but over time it came to denote the elaborate masked entertainments (and in some contexts retained the sense of a cosmetic 'mask').